Senior Seminar
The Art 410: Senior Exhibit and Seminar at Campbellsville University gives graduating Art and Design students the opportunity to plan, curate, and present a solo exhibition in the Pence-Chowning Art Gallery. This hands-on course teaches essential professional skills, from preparing and displaying artwork to writing artist statements and networking at exhibitions, helping students transition confidently from academic study to their careers in the visual arts.
Spring 2020
Artist Biography
Germaine Dunn is from Harrodsburg, Kentucky and completed a BFA in Art and Design with an emphasis in Graphic Design.
His artwork is inspired by his struggles during his journey in addiction recovery, and his relationship with Christ. He primarily works in mediums of graphic design as well as tradtional materials including acrylic, ink & ink pen, printmaking and clay.
Artist Statement
To express ourselves is one of the greatest pleasures in life, but for an artist it means the world. My art will always express who I am as a person.
I believe that it is my love of art as a child that drives me but my struggles in life that gives my work its substance. I moved to Campbellsville, KY to better my life as a person that once struggled with addiction.
I'm an artist that uses symbolism often driven by my past experiences as seen in most of my personal work. I love to express and expand my creativity in media such as acrylics, watercolor, printmaking, sculpting and graphic design. My passion to create fresh and unique artwork drives me to continually express myself no matter the media process.
Artist Biography
Hailey Robinson is a student living in Kentucky. Hailey is studying Art and Psychology at Campbellsville University. She combines her interest in both Art and Psychology to create work that engages and promotes expression of mental health. Her work utilizes abstract notions of design to express personal ideas of emotions. After she graduates, she plans on attending graduate school to study Musuem Studies.
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Artist Statement
The mind itself is a distracting canvas overfilled with our thoughts and troubles, and as time goes on it gets overused and weathered. These thoughts are made into images as we create. I believe that each piece of art one may make reflects the things they may have trouble using words for. Art, to me, serves as an important vessel of communication, bashing the barrier I often put between me and the world. The subjects within my work often focus on the abstract notion of emotion shown in use of color and line. Shapes become a representation of creatures of worry found in the mind. I strive to use my art to reach out and provide a platform for others who feel like their emotions and thoughts have been suppressed. I want to provide a place of acknowledgement and understanding.
Artist Biography
Hunter Sallee is an artist working in central Kentucky focusing on digital artmaking, and traditional arts including drawing, painting, and printmaking.
Combining his studies in Art & Design and Business Administration, Sallee's digital work is mainly comprised of logos and advertisements for companies. His interests expand into designing for the music and retail industry.
Sallee will graduate May 2022 from Campbellsville University with an Art Area degree with Graphic Design Emphasis and a Minor in Business Administration. He plans to continue working as a graphic designer and freelancing graphic work
Artist Statement
My work is often related to my own interests and are inspired by various emotions and circumstances that I am experiencing in the moment of creation. Artmaking is an escape, a time where I can let the creative take over. Often when I am creating, I enjoy listening to music. I feel that my connection with the various types of music I listen to while making also enhances the work that I am producing. I use art as a tool to convey emotions and messages that words cannot describe.
When I look at my work, I can picture the time and emotions I felt while I was creating and hope that the viewer can find some emotional value as well. I don't necessarily believe that the viewer should feel the same way about the artwork that I do, rather have their own connections based on their point of view.
I strive for my works to be authentic. I hope to connect my digital work with my love for music as well and transition into artwork and promotions for the music industry.
Artist Biography
Kara Kelly is an artist that was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. She currently attends Campbellsville University and is working on her BFA in fine arts with an emphasis in animation. She has also studied abroad in Florence, Italy at the Florence Classical Arts Academy where she studied anatomy and figure drawing. She works with a variety of mediums such as charcoal, graphite, watercolor and acrylics, and software such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Animate CC, and Maya. She specializes in a range of subjects such as pet portraits, character design, concept art, and animation.
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Artist Statement
I am an artist who enjoys using a variety of mediums and experimenting with different techniques and styles. I use traditional mediums such as charcoal, graphite, watercolor, acrylics, ink, and Sculpey. I also enjoy doing digital painting, and graphic design in Photoshop and Illustrator as well as animation in Animate CC and Maya. My main areas of interest include painting pet portraits and story building process such as character design, concept art, and animation.
When creating pet portraits, my goal is to capture the essence of the animal. Every animal is a bit different, even if they are the same breed. For example, no two dogs look exactly alike or act in the same manner. When I am painting someone's beloved pet, it is important to capture their unique personality, so their soul is captured in the artwork.
My favorite part of the development process for a story is taking an idea that starts off small and simple and turning it into a full-fledged story with lovable characters and an interesting plotline. Becoming invested in the lives of my characters helps the creative process be more successful since I am constantly thinking about the characters, who they truly are at their core, and what their motivations are in the story. Watching these characters come to life is such a rewarding process that always fills me with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment.
Artist Biography
Marianna Melgoza is a multimedia artist, currently attending Campbellsville University as a major in 3d design with an emphasis in Ceramics. Currently living in Springfield Kentucky, and is originally from Delta Colorado and was born into a Roman Catholic family. Marianna uses a variety of different media, but specializes in pottery. She plans on expanding her artistic career through her connection with other artists, in the creation of unique and intriguing new work, inspired by her life and those around her.
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Artist Biography
Mary Beth McAllister is a student at Campbellsville University working on a BFA in Fine Arts with a Concentration in Animation. She grew up in small town Columbia, Ky. While she works in a variety of mediums the ones that is used the most is watercolor and photography. Most of her work revolves around nature and animals.
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Artist Statement
My work explores the beauty of nature and depicts the emotions and personalities of animals. Although I enjoy a variety of mediums the ones that I strongly pursue are watercolor, photography, acrylic, charcoal, and animation. The most important medium to me would be watercolor. The reasoning for this is because watercolor allows you to have more creative liberties. When working with watercolor an artist has to be quick and precise. This medium allows you to work in multiple layers. I chose to focus on animals because I enjoy being able to capture their character in just one photo. Animals offer interesting facial expressions and poses. Nature was also chosen because I am able to portray the beauty and attraction that life has to give. By painting nature scenes, it gives the artwork a sense of wonder and admiration.
Artist Biography
Sara Clark is a senior at Campbellsville University and is currently working towards earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in graphic design. She is proficient in creature design, sculpture, illustration, and graphic design. Her primary focus in her art is visualizing what the world could be and what wonders could be hiding just out of sight.
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Artist Statement
In my work I create creatures that blend in with everyday flora and fauna. I look for spaces where unknown creatures can hide or where my characters would go about their daily lives. I want to make people stop and look a little closer rather than only seeing the mundane routine of every-day life.
I have always had a wild imagination and never had a problem with keeping myself entertained as a child. Imagining purple and green polka dotted creatures with the body of an elephant and the eyes of a crab who loves to eat sandwiches. Imagination, I believe, is what makes the world turn around. Without it we wouldn't have phones or electricity.
Through my work and influence I want to reignite that spark of creativity and imagination in people to see what things can be, rather than only what they are. Specifically in my work I create creatures that blend in with the world around us.
Artist Biography
Serena Corbin is an artist from Columbia, Kentucky. She works with mediums such as: graphite, charcoal, mixed media, digital media, and assemblage. Her artwork focuses on subjects like religious concepts, digital designs, symbolism, and portraiture. She is currently studying for a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a graphic design emphasis at Campbellsville University and plans to graduate in May of 2021. After collage, her plans are to focus on perfecting her personal work as well as take commissions.
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Artist Statement
My work consists of visual story telling through drawings, paintings, mixed media, digital media, and assemblages. Sometimes I'll create stories from my own past, but typically I like to uplift others and their stories when I create. I use drawn objects and symbols to help tell these stories, as well as the usage of color to reflect the mood I feel the scene should portray to better suit the individual. I find joy in making others feel like they are both worthy and beautiful enough to become a work of art. It's kind of an illusion though because they were born masterpieces regardless of work being made in their image or to their likeness.
My personal philosophy to creating artwork is that if the work I am making doesn't line up with my beliefs, morals, or doesn't possess a deeper meaning or symbolic essence to it, I shouldn't be creating it. I enjoy the work that I've put thought and effort into. Work that not only affects my emotions but also could have a connection with others.
Artist Biography
Shane Dick is an artist who lives in Campbellsville, Kentucky, specializing in graphic design work. His previous projects include posters, brochures for advertising, digital ads, brand logos. Recently, he worked on a logo for a plumbing tech school, and designed the clothing for Campbellsville University's Esports program.
Graphic design allows him to work on problem solving skills and work on a variety of projects while along with getting to know his clients in order to make their projects come to fruition.
Artist Statement
As an artist, it is my job to be aware of everything in my environment and to problem solve. The world around us is filled with designs in every shape and form. From billboards, posters, and album covers to consumer packaging, advertisements, and even the clothes we wear. Each design fulfills their own purpose; each of these designs are all tied together by the same elements and principles of design while also being presented in a variety of different forms. Whether its designs made by other creators or designs in nature made by God Himself, each piece can inspire me and the art I make everyday.
While graphic design may be my focus when creating, I never want to stop exploring other mediums. Whether I'm drawing, painting, or sculpting it all translates graphically. Along with the urge to always improve and to push myself further each time as an artist and as a person, I also strongly value showing off different perspectives in my own artwork. Whether it's a perspective from my client or a change to my own work due to another's critique.
Artist Biography
Whitley Howlett is multimedia artist who has worked in acrylic paint, oil paint, charcoal, graphite, spray paint, ceramics, textiles, printmaking, graphic design and photography. She will be graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with an Emphasis in Graphic Design from Campbellsville University in December 2021. Howlett currently lives in Louisville, Kentucky but hopes to travel and pursue murals as a full-time artist once she has graduated.
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Artist Statement
My early art is tied to my great grandmother, Esther, who is a painter and taught me how to paint in her living room as a child. She and I would watch Bob Ross and paint for hours together. As I grew up, I adopted art as a way to communicate and connect to the world around me. Now I am older and have gained both confidence and my own voice outside of art. My focus is less of what art can do for me and more of how it can bring connection, unity, and change for others. Ultimately, I create art that I would want to see and what I think would spark interest in others.
That is where joy and wonder can be found.
My main area of interest in art is when fantasy meets reality and how each would interact in a space where they normally shouldn't be. Interaction and relationships are a big part of my artistic focus. I have always wanted interactive elements in my pieces, whether that's mental, physical, or emotional. I like my pieces to be an intimate experience where viewers discover things about the piece by looking intentionally. This acts as both a reminder to myself and to viewers to be present and pay attention to details.
That is where joy and wonder can be found.
I have always considered myself a detailed and thorough person, which is reflected into my work. I enjoy portraiture for this very reason- the small, unique details turns a face into a recognizable person. Details are also why I am drawn to the vintage and worn, where the holes, rust, and wear all tell a story of a life lived well before my own. The juxtaposition of the old with the new is a common theme in my work. I like to discover the similarities between seemingly different objects or people and show how they would
Artist Biography
Yingxin Mi or Jimmy was born and raised in Beijing, China, and attended Campbellsville University for the English as a Second Language program and BFA with a Graphic Design Emphasis. He chased his dream come to the United States to learn how people live abroad and wanted to open his mind to see the world while working on art. Besides working in school, he also worked with Little Elephant Company to create a logo design. He continues to build on his training from high school in China to complete life drawings while abroad. He plans to return to Beijing China post-graduation for work.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqPj2gOP-aE&feature=youtu.be
Artist Statement
Art is the expression of the eternal consciousness of life which inspires people's thinking in the unique way of painting with enthusiasm, beauty or sadness and pain. Life is the source of art. This is the “ancient” and universal law of artistic creation. When I gather sources or inspiration from life, it can produce a strong desire to express life. When life and art form are organically combined, they produce impressive and appealing works of art. Here, I make a distinction between painting and real life. Art is not the same as life. Many people may agree with this topic, but in today's art world, art has long been involved in life. But in painting, it is necessary to bring up this topic.
From the perspective of art, everyone has a feeling of life. But people who don't have basic painting skills. They do not know how to express and it is impossible to create a good work. Painting is an artist's sublimation of real life. It is not a copy of nature. Simply reproducing an objective image cannot create high level of artistic beauty. For me, painting is to express what I want to say. I hope that the artwork can start from life, reflect life and express my real feelings towards life. Life is the source of painting. I pay attention to the reality, extract material from life, and show true feelings towards life to show the rich and colorful real world.
Credits
Photographs: Ariel Emberton
Video: Derick Johnson